HOMECOMING NIGHT … Archbold’s Jarret Rufenacht takes off on a run in the first half of a 72-6 homecoming night win over Swanton.
PHOTOS BY RENEA KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
TAKING ON THE DEFENSE … Dennis Robinson runs the ball into the teeth of the Archbold defense for the Bulldogs.
By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
ARCHBOLD (September 26, 2025) – The Archbold Bluestreaks put on a clinic for their homecoming crowd Friday night, blowing out the Swanton Bulldogs 72-6.
Archbold received to start the game and seemed to be headed for the end zone after a 39-yard return by junior Ryder Ryan, who carried for another 24 yards across the drive until he fumbled at the one-yard line, where Swanton junior James Bates recovered.
Despite the turnover, the Bluestreaks would not be denied, with sophomore Ethan Bowman tackling Bulldog junior Shawn McGary in the end zone on the next play for a safety to take the lead 2-0.
Junior Bluestreak Aranjer Krieger returned the ball for 34 yards, crossing midfield to start their next drive. After a no-gain pass, Ryan took back over, catching a pass for six yards and carrying it for one before running it the remaining 42 yards for a touchdown. Sophomore Quinn Sauder put in the point after to bring the score to 9-0.
Swanton struggled to move the ball on the following drive, losing yards on every play until they were forced to punt it away on fourth and 22.
The Bluestreaks seemed on the same path as the Bulldogs when they got the ball back, with a no-gain play, a loss of two, and a penalty for holding bringing up third and 22.
A successful pass to junior Morgan Harris cut it to fourth and 4, followed up immediately by a 20-yard pass to sophomore Collin Short and a seven-yard run by junior quarterback Jarett Rufenacht for a touchdown. Sauder did his part, and Archbold extended their lead to 16-0.
The Bulldogs continued their negative drive record after a 27-yard return was brought back to the 22-yard line on a holding penalty before they lost two yards on the next play.
Immediately after, a pass intended for junior Dennis Robinson was picked off by Archbold sophomore Ethan Bowman, who carried it all the way in for a touchdown. Along with Sauder’s kick, the score climbed to 23-0.
Things didn’t improve on their next drive, when a snap went into the ground and they caught a penalty for false start on the same play, narrowly avoided a sack by throwing it away on the next play, and recovered their own fumble to lose more yardage on the next to bring up fourth and 17 as play crossed into the second quarter.
To add insult to injury, Krieger returned the subsequent punt 47 yards for yet another touchdown, and the Sauder point after expanded the Bluestreak lead yet again, to 30-0.
After losing six yards on their first play after the kick, the Bulldogs made their first positive-yardage play of the gain to bring up third and 11, then gained another three on a run, but weren’t able to convert and were forced to punt.
Archbold started in Swanton territory after the kick and took just three plays to get to the red zone, with sophomore Jesse Schumacher carrying it in for the fifth Bluestreak touchdown. Sauder did his part, and they went up 37-0.
Swanton’s woes would only continue, as an incomplete pass was followed up by a two-yard run, then an interception by Krieger for yet another touchdown. Sauder’s sixth point after was good, and the score climbed to 44-0.
The Bulldogs got the ball back only to be pushed ever backward, punting on fourth and 17. Three plays later, a pitch to senior Bluestreak Ashton Stuckey resulted in another touchdown, another Sauder point after, and a lead of 51-0.
Swanton again got the ball and managed a single positive-yardage play with a six-yard pass to junior Marquise Zalecki, but a fourth-and-four attempt resulted in a sack by senior Jason Grime, turning it over on downs.
With just over three minutes remaining in the half, the Bluestreaks pushed to the Swanton 16-yard line, where Sauder kicked a successful field goal, but an offsides penalty forced a first down, and they chose to take a knee to end the half.
When the second half began, the Bluestreaks’ lead meant the clock ran continuously, quickly chewing up time. Swanton went three and out again, punting it back to Archbold.
Now with their second string in play, the Bluestreaks still capitalized on the opportunity, pushing to the eight-yard line in five plays.
A pass to sophomore Corbin Baden and another appearance by Sauder brought the score to 58-0.
After returning the kick to their own 31-yard line, the Bulldogs finally got on the board with a 69-yard bomb Dennis Robinson lobbed over the shoulder of junior Seth Carman for a Swanton touchdown. A flubbed point after left them at 58-6.
Archbold got in one play, which put them just shy of midfield to end the third quarter before beginning the fourth with a lateral pass to Schumacher, who ran the full 57 yards for another touchdown. Sauder kept up his streak, and the Bluestreak lead climbed to 65-6.
Another negative drive saw the Bulldogs go four and out, and two plays later, freshman Ridge Ryan carried for 22 yards and the final Archbold touchdown. Junior Isaiahs Gracia came in to kick the point after, putting Archbold up 72-6.